God is Peace
Dear Beloved,
A couple weeks back, I was in a slump. Not a physical slump but rather a spiritual one. I'm not saying that I wasn't feeling God's presence because I was, and He was definitely there. It was more like my spirit felt groggy, uneasy, and overall restless. It constantly felt as though there was a huge weight on my chest, and no matter how many happy or upbeat songs I played, the pressure remained. As a way to relieve my mind, I decided to study peace everywhere it's found in the Bible (maybe it would rub off a little!!)
Psalms 91:5 says, "Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day." The first time I read this, I was so confused! I can barely contain myself when there is a spider in the car, let alone flying arrows and terrors of the night! But when I re-read the first 4 verses, it began to make sense.
"He alone is my refuge."
"He will rescue you from every trap."
"He will cover you His feathers."
"He will shelter you with His wings."
"His faithful promises are your armor and protection."
As long as God is fighting your battles, what do you have to fear? That's where peace is rooted from. Having complete faith in God and His plan.
Psalm 46:10 reads, "Be still and know that I am God." What do you first think of when you hear the words be still? My mind almost immediately returns to all those backseat wrestling matches with my brothers. There always came the moment where my mom's seat was nudged a little too hard. "Be still."
While it sort of makes sense, the bible verse is not telling us to sit still and know that He is God. This is one of those verses whose depth has been lost in translation. You see, the phrase "be still" translates back to the Hebrew word raphah. Which means to let go, let alone, or release. God is telling us to let go of what's weighing us down because He is God. We have nothing to worry about. We have peace.
Jesus is referred to as "Prince of Peace." Meaning that where He is... There is peace. Don't get me wrong. Arrows will still be flying, and nights will still have terrors, but because you have Jesus... You now have peace in the midst of it all. John 16:33 says, "In me, you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." God and peace go hand in hand. You can't have complete peace unless you trust Him completely. You can't have one without the other. Where there is peace, He is also there. God is peace.
“He will be our peace”
